Cricket Australia XI 176 (Hearn 106, Cook 4-15) and 261 for 3 (Ward 115, Handscomb 57) England Lions 223 (Davies 54, Gannon 5-27) and 213 (McKinney 94, Bell 3-32) for six wickets
Ward scored 115 before he retired, while captain Peter Handscomb added 57, as the hosts set a target of 261 on day three. Hampshire duo John Turner and Sonny Baker claimed the fall of just two wickets on day two after Shoaib Bashir’s late breakthrough.
Opener Ward hit his century off 195 balls to pace the home innings and shared a 110-run stand for the third wicket with Handscomb to lead his side to victory.
Becker claimed the opening wicket of the day when Henry Hunt dropped James Rew but the Lions were made to sweat as Ward and Handscomb took the game away. Turner ended the partnership when Handscomb top-edged a hook and was caught by Hamza Shaikh, leaving Lachlan Hearne and Jack Clayton to steer CAXI home before Ward retired.
The Lions play a second tour game in Brisbane next week against a CAXI, which will retain first-class status, before an unofficial Test against Australia A in Sydney starting on January 30.
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